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November/December 2007 Issue

Next update: January 30, 2008

COVER STORY

Contactless cards are today’s potential success story, with the UK alone predicting 80 million contactless-enabled payment cards by 2011. But are they anything more than a sideshow on the high road to mobile phone payments?

CARD NOTES

Debit cards – pressure continues for third scheme • More spin from Brussels ‘spokesman’ • EMV migration – not yet half-way • Swedish banks continue drive for economies of scale • Equens links with ICBPI • euroConex rebrands.

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COUNTRY REPORT

Though the payment cards business has made great strides in Italy in recent years, the rest of Europe has moved on as well. Narrowing the gap in payments per capita is proving elusive.

PAYMENTS PROCESSING

Most banks view SEPA as a politically-driven process which increases their costs and cuts their revenues. But detailed modelling suggests that potential cost savings through to 2016 could justify the investments required.

SEPA

As globalization, regulation and M&A activity impact on European payments, there will be drastic restructuring of the market over the next five years – but growth in non-cash payments is an incentive for banks to stay in the game.

MOBILE COMMERCE

UK telcos roll out ‘PayForIt’ • Turkish banks' m-banking services • Belgium introduces SMS ticketing • Serbian m-commerce standard • Monilink extends m-banking service to RBS • GSMA deal with Western Union.

CONTACTLESS

Mobilkom austria launches comprehensive NFC roll-out • Telstra, NAB and Visa to trial mobile NFC • Gemalto and Far EasTone in Asia’s first ‘Pay-Buy Mobile’ trial • Barclays in US contactless roll-out • NFC test in Gothenburg.

POS TERMINALS

MasterCard tests GSM POS system • Ingram partnership with Samport • BBVA Bancomer selects Hypercom • Gemalto Linux certifications • Encore selects Way Systems • Bluetooth solution from VeriFone.

PRODUCTS AND CONTRACTS

New Shell MasterCard from Citi • Orange co-brands with BNP Paribas • World MasterCard • Russian first for First Data • BPC deal with DenizBank Moscow • Real-time bank account verification from Experian • Schufa partners with Fair Isaac • Integri qualified by EMVCo • PCI shock • Lukas insources with Postillion • MasterCard joins forces with Orbiscom • Microsoft system for MPS • Telekurs to buy 3C • and more.